NYC Summer Streets kicks off in Queens, Staten Island

NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — New York City’s Summer Streets celebration begins on Saturday in Queens and Staten Island, encouraging New Yorkers to get outside by turning hustle-prone streets into carless safety zones for pedestrians and cyclists.

The program, which first began in Manhattan in 2008 and expanded to the other boroughs last year, runs on select Saturdays throughout the summer and offers nearly 20 miles of car-free streets.

2024 programming kicked off with expanded hours in Queens and Staten Island, leaving the streets open Saturday from 7 a.m. through 3 p.m. and lined with free activities.

Enrichment activities across summer programming include fitness classes, cultural performances and educational experiences. Food trucks and local vendors will also be available at each site.

“New Yorkers, they can go to Staten Island, enjoy a lot of educational, cultural wellness, and all the activities happening biking, walking,” Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez told 1010 WINS/WCBS 880.

Summer Streets is supported by Lyft and Citi, which offer free day passes for riders to enjoy unlimited 30-minute rides on classic Citi Bikes during the designated program hours. Free passes can be redeemed by entering “CITISUMMER24!” in the “Daypass” tab on the Citi Bike app.

Staten Island Route:

Broadway from Richmond Terrace to Clove Road, running through West Brighton and connecting attendees from Clove Lakes Park to Corporal Thompson Park.

Queens Route:

Vernon Boulevard, from 44th Drive to 30th Drive, providing access to the entire Queens waterfront in Long Island City and Astoria.

“Summer Streets provides space for healthy recreation and encourages New Yorkers to use more sustainable forms of transportation,” according to the DOT, and this opportunity for outdoor play will be available in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx in weeks to come.

Manhattan will hold its Summer Streets celebrations on Aug. 3, 10 and 17, and Brooklyn and the Bronx will follow on Aug. 24.

Manhattan Route:

Brooklyn Bridge all the way into Harlem, traveling along Lafayette Street and Park Avenue up to 109th Street; on Central Park North from Fifth Avenue to Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard; and along Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard from 110th Street to 125th Street.

Bronx Route:

Grand Concourse from East Tremont Avenue to Mosholu Parkway, opening a major car-free corridor to people from the west Bronx to the north Bronx.

Brooklyn Route:

Eastern Parkway, from Grand Army Plaza to Buffalo Avenue. It will connect Prospect Heights and Brownsville.

For more information on Summer Streets visit the DOT website .